"Name In Lights"
by Tenney Maree & Whit Alexis
Chapter One
The lights of the stage were bright, but she was used to them. The clapping of a thousand fans and the cheers! Oh yes, she was used to them. Then came the introduction, "Please welcome the one the only...Suzie!" That was her stage name, she never used her real name. Best of both worlds, her mom-Gabriella Montez-knew her secret, and her dad...well she didn't know her dad, she wanted to; she vowed that she'd find him.
After she performed her song, she stepped off the stage, and going towards the back slipping on her jacket, Gabriella smiled, "You did amazing baby girl..I'm so proud of you.." she hugged her.
Elena smiled, "thanks Momma.. can we go? I'm starving.." Gabriella smiled, "Of Course.. this is a celebration dinner... were do you wanna go?"
Elena smiled, "how about The Bolton Steakhouse?" Gabriella smiled, "why do you always choose that place?"
Elena smiled, "well, that's were grandpa and grandma work, and they always tell me stories about my dad.."
Gabriella sighed, "okay we can go there..." Elena smiled, tugging at the sleeves of her jacket, "ooh just let me take out the contacts first." Gabriella laughed, her daughter had Troy's memory. Forgetful. Elena Montez was nerdy, dorky and always wore baggy overalls with baggy Stanford sweaters, her stage persona 'Suzie' was trendy, had beautiful blue eyes that matched her own, but weren't hidden behind thick horn-rimmed glasses.
When they were in the car, Elena was Elena again; her hair in a messy bun atop her head and her ugly glasses on her face as she tapped the dashboard to the song on the radio. 'you think I'm pretty without any make up on you think I'm funny when I tell the punchline wrong...' it was her song, and everytime she heard her song on the radio she always smiled. Her mother smiled too, "you have a beautiful voice baby girl..."
Elena smiled, "thanks mom-hey whose that?" she changed the subject, referring to the big, sleek Audi convertible in the parking lot of the Bolton Steakhouse. Gabriella bit her lip, she had a feeling of who it was.
As they stepped out of the car, Gabriella and Elena walked inside the Restruant, Gabriella looked over and her heart stopped there was Troy Bolton talking with his parents with a smile on his face. Oh God she missed that smile. Gabriella sighed hiding her face with her hoodie. Elena looked at her, "momma, what's a matter?"
"nothing babygirl, I-"
"Hey, Elena!" Jack Bolton smiled. Gabriella's face turned red, holding the hoodie closer to her face so Troy wouldn't recognize her. Elena smiled coming over to him, "hi Grandpa.." Troy raised an eyebrow and looked at his father, "Grandpa?"
Jack pulled away from the hug, looking at his son, "oh uh Troy this is Elena..." Elena smiled, but her smile dropped half heartedly because his eyes were what she saw in the mirror each morning. "Uh...Hi.." her sudden shyness took over. Troy reached and took her hand, "Hi Elena"- he bent his head, she looked so much like her. Her hair, and her skin tone...impossible, he hadn't seen Gabriella in 16 years. Then again- "Is that your mom behind you in the hoodie?"
Elena smirked, nodding. "yup, she's just...shy." like always, Troy thought amusedly.
Gabriella sighed taking the hoodie away from her face. Troy smiled, "Hey Brie.." he scratched the back of his neck. Gabriella bit her bottom lip, "Hi." she spoke.
Elena looked at them, "I'll let you two talk.." Elena went over and talked to her grandparents, and Troy and Gabriella took a seat in a booth.
Troy smiled, "so..how you been?"
Gabriella sighed, "I've been good..you?" he smiled, "Great...so you have a daughter now?" Gabriella nodded, "yeah.. she's 16, can't believe it."
Troy's eyes went wide, "16? Gabi.. 16 years ago is when me and you..." she bit her lip, he looked at her, "You cheated on me?"
she shook her head, "No..she's...she's yours Troy.." Troy's blood boiled, "why didn't you...fucking tell me I was a father!" she glared at him, "I tried, but all i got was the voicemail."
He looked at her, "voicemail? Brie...look I still deserved to know...not find out 16 years later." Gabriella sighed, looking at the table; at her fingers, "Troy I'm sorry all right...but,"-she blew out a breath, wondering if she was going to regret this-"why don't you just eat dinner with me and her...get to know her." Troy nodded, smirking, "I'd like that-" a scream, of joy or pain they were unsure, but it was deafening and came running up to her mom with a pink, glittery cell phone clutched tight in her hand-Troy instantly thought of Sharpay.
"MOM! Guess what! Guess what!" Gabriella laughed, Troy was somewhat lost. "What baby girl?" Elena was bouncing up and down, "Award! Award! Suzie got nominated for an award! AHH!" Troy covered his ears, laughing, "I guess you're a 'Suzie' fan huh?"
Elena turned to him, her eyes suddenly wide, "uh...yeah...a fan...exactly- that's why I was excited...and also because uhm..." she looked around grabbing a plate of brussel sprouts off a tray of a passing waiter, "and Brussel Sprouts! Got to love them!" Troy looked at her with a raised eyebrow, Gabriella sighed. Nice hiding the secret honey, she thought with a mental facepalm.
They took a seat in the booth, and ordered some food. Troy and Gabriella sat uncomfortably in the booth, didn't even gaze at each other. Gabriella sighed.. wait a minute, why should she be sad or apologize for that matter? she tried to reach him.. he should apologize for leaving. Elena looked at Troy, "So..umm..are you my father?"
Troy smiled nodding, "yeah, I am.. I umm..just found out." he glared at Gabriella, then he looked at Elena, "I'm sorry Elena, If I knew you existed, I would of been there for you, you probably think I'm some kind of trashy father." Elena shook her head, "No..things happen, and people drift apart...things happen.."
Troy nodded, "yeah shit happens..." he stared at Gabriella, who was pushing her food around on the plate in front of her. The whole dinner was silent and awkward, Troy cleared his throat, "so...what school do you go to?"
Elena smiled, "East High..but I'm a nerd."
Troy smiled, "hey nothing wrong with that-your mom was quite the nerd in high school." Gabriella looked up, "Troy Bolton! I was not a nerd, I just liked to get good grades." Elena giggled at her parents bickering, her eyes drifted to the side, seeing her grandpa Jack arguing with some guy in a suit, she focused hard; only catching a small fragment of both of their speech. "...can't close us down!"
"...sorry, but your restaurant is out dated."
"Damn you! This is a family business and restaurant, everyone loves this place." The man in the suit sighed, looking at some clipboard, his lips moving in audibly, Elena excused herself from the table-itching closer to Jack and the guy in the suit. Gabriella rolled her eyes, her daughter was and is always so nosey. Troy smirked at this fact.
"You can't close us down!" Jack yelled again, "This is a family business!"
The guy in the suit sighed again, "unless you do something that can pack this place I have to-"
"I know Suzie!" Screamed Elena, everyone looked at her, it seemed everyone had stopped eating to look at her. Even Troy was speechless, Gabriella wanted to grab Elena and run.
The man in the suit looked at her, "Really? you know her?" Elena gulped, and saw all the eyes on her. "uh..umm..yeah.. a little bit.." she coughed, Troy looked at her, and then at Gabriella who was looking down at the floor, and then at his parents then at the man.
The man smiled, "ok, let's make a deal...you get suzie to perform here... we'll keep the place running..."
jack smiled, "Really?"
The man nodded, "yes, make sure she is here tomorrow night by 7." he told Elena, Elena nodded and The Man left. Jack came over lifting Elena up and twirling her around, "your my favorite kid! you know that!"
Elena chuckled nervously, "ehh yeah..." what the hell did she just get herself into?
Jack set her down, "hey I'm gonna tell your grandma the good news, and how Suzie is gonna be here to perform tomorrow-Hey spread the word Kay?" Elena nodded shyly, her phone vibrated in her pocket; a text from her mom, dreading answering but knowing she would just get the whole interrogation schpeel on the way home, she answered it: 'What did you just do?' She closed her eyes, biting her lip as she closed her phone and walked back to her parents.
She sat down slowly, "so.." she said, pursing her lips, Troy looked at her, "you know Suzie?" Gabriella rolled her eyes but kept her mouth shut otherwise. Elena nodded, "uhm yeah...we're...we're closer than you think." Troy nodded, knowing she was lying, Gabriella's lips twitched when she was lying...Elena's did the same thing. Troy crossed his arms, "you're lying." Elena chuckled nervously, stuffing her mouth with mac and cheese, "mmm! So good! Isn't it?" she spewed mac and cheese at the table. Gabriella fought the urge to laugh, it sounded choked, Troy looked at her then at Elena, he was missing something.